<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>the story untold. by poketa</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27680525">the story untold.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/poketa/pseuds/poketa'>poketa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Camp Rock (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>During Canon, F/F, Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:56:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,184</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27680525</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/poketa/pseuds/poketa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>the side that pretty much explains what happened between caitlyn and tess.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Caitlyn Gellar/Tess Tyler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the story untold.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is such a self-indulgent fic, like i watched camp rock (2008) and said to myself: these two definitely are fruity, but god, it smells like repression.</p><p>anyway, this is just me imagining stuff through the movie. hope you like it.</p><p>disclaimer: no beta, all mistakes are mine to claim.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>Meeting Mitchie is exciting for a first day at camp.</p><p>But it's a familiar taste to Caitlyn; the girl has a way to capture her attention without trying and it makes her nervous as Lola tells them a joke and the new camp rocker giggles.</p><p>Lola sends Caitlyn a curious glance, but she just shakes her head, chuckling awkwardly.</p><p>
  <em> Not now. </em>
</p><p>"I heard there's a great new cooker" Lola comments with a smile and Caitlyn is grateful for the change of topic.</p><p>"Uhhh nice?" Mitchie replies with a confused smile.</p><p>"I missed this place" Caitlyn sighs looking over at the groups of people as Lola nods.</p><p>But it was a matter of time before they would find each other and isn't like Tess doesn't cut the crowds like they are the Red Sea and she's Moses.</p><p>Just a blonder, whiter, skinnier and…meaner Moses.</p><p><em> "Look what the shore washed in" </em> </p><p>Caitlyn bites her lip, containing her desire to scream as the old camper stands in front of her with Peggy and Ella, who seem to have lost all sense of personality to stand behind Tess.</p><p>"See you later" Lola mutters to Caitlyn, shaking her head with disgust as she instantly disappears through the crowd.</p><p>It's known that Tess and Lola can't stand near each other because their energies are like exact opposites.</p><p>And that's one of the reasons that brought Lola and Caitlyn together as closer friends when last summer <em>happened.</em></p><p>"Hey, Tess" Caitlyn greets simply, keeping her smile as friendly as she can without making it too obvious.</p><p>"She's Tess?" Mitchie asks with surprise. "You're Tess" she affirms looking at the blonde with awe.</p><p>"Yes, I am" Tess confirms with a roll of her eyes and she's again looking at Caitlyn with that intense glare that makes her feel big and small and then big and small again.</p><p>"Wow," Mitchie comments "Your mother is <em> TJ Tyler </em> - I'm such a fan of hers!" </p><p>But they are still in a glare contest and Caitlyn decides to break it this time.</p><p>"I have to unpack my stuff" She says to Mitchie with a small grin and the girl nods, even though her attention is still on Tess and there's that little nagging feeling again.</p><p>But this time it doesn't have anything to do with Mitchie and all with the blonde staring daggers back at her.</p><p>"See you later, Mitchie" Caitlyn says with a wave.</p><p>No, she won't let last summer repeat.</p><p>
  <em> "Bye, Caitlyn"  </em>
</p><p>But it's actually Tess who replies and she bites her lip all the way back to her cabin, where her summer roommate is already settled.</p><p>"You're bleeding" Lola points out from her place on her own bed where she's reading a book.</p><p>Caitlyn drops her bags on her bed and touches her lip with a wince.</p><p>"Thanks" She accepts, wiping her fingertips with a napkin. </p><p>"No problem" Her bunk mate and friend replies, but instead of changing the page of her book, she just closes it and stares back at her. </p><p>The silence is deafening over the close space.</p><p>"Now that we are alone though" Lola stresses with a sympathetic grin and Caitlyn hears it before it's said. "It would be nice to talk about it, you know?"</p><p>The dancer chuckles, opening her bag and starting to take off her stuff to fit it into her drawer.</p><p>"Talk about <em> what?"  </em></p><p>"Last summer" Lola replies dryly and she glances up to find her friend staring at her with a more serious expression. "And you know I don't mean the Last Jam or the pajama jam" </p><p>Caitlyn swallows tightly, her grip in her green scarf tightening for a second.</p><p>"Do we really have to?" She asks dismissively, throwing the scarf into her drawer "It's been a year - I'm over it." </p><p>But Lola just crosses her arms over her chest and stares at her.</p><p>"Really?"    </p><p>And Caitlyn knows that her friend isn't doing this for her personal entertainment, but because she cares.</p><p>
  <em> She is not Tess. </em>
</p><p>"No, I'm not" Caitlyn replies after a second to collect herself, she shakes her head, taking a seat over her bunk. "But I will be" </p><p>Lola sighs.</p><p>"You don't have to do it alone," The singer states, standing up from her bed to walk all the way across the room and sinking next to Caitlyn on the bed. </p><p>She wraps her up on a hug and the dancer and composer lets the tears fall without care.</p><p>"Now, do I need to ask about Mitchie?" </p><p>Caitlyn chuckles, moving away to send her friend a teary grin.</p><p>"<em>God, no - </em>she seems nice, but pretty straight to me" </p><p>Lola rolls her eyes. "For a Camp of <em>Rock</em> this place is such a stereotypical bore sometimes" </p><p>"Preach it, sister" Caitlyn admonishes and they both sit there, looking over their room, breathing into the abyss of a new summer ahead.</p><p>They have an empty bunk, but no one has to know about that.</p><p>It's better when it's just her and Lola.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Camp is well…<em> camp. </em></p><p>There's dancing, there's singing and then there's<em> canoeing, </em>which Caitlyn doesn't think it's even a part of the curriculum, but Lola likes water and she likes being away from the buzz of the camp sometimes.</p><p>"I could live like this, you know" Lola comments as they stare at the sun with squinting eyes.</p><p>"Inside a canoe? I don't think that's a practical idea" Caitlyn comments as she moves the paddle on gentle movements against the water, watching it ripple.</p><p>"You're such a smart ass" The singer replies with a grin. She gestures with a hand around them and then adds. "But I meant<em> this, </em> this quietness and nature surrounding us, it would be lovely to live like this"</p><p>"Aren't you a concrete baby, <em>Miss New York city?"</em> Caitlyn asks, stopping her paddling to look over at her friend, who's quiet by the other end of the canoe.</p><p>The singer has a nostalgic expression in her face.</p><p>"I mean I am," She turns to look at her and it's one of those moments when they aren't just two teenagers at a summer camp, who have known each other by a few years now, they seem older and wiser. </p><p>Caitlyn feels like it's not just about water and nature but beyond.</p><p>"And I love the spotlight, you know I do" Lola continues with a bigger smile. "But I see my mom and Broadway and I don't see myself living like <em> that." </em></p><p>The lull of the canoe is quiet under them, but Caitlyn still holds onto the rails with a tight grip.</p><p>The words fall onto her like bullets of truth as she thinks about her parents, playing music around the world.</p><p>For them, music is everything.</p><p>But she isn't and that cuts deep.</p><p>
  <em> "Seriously?"  </em>
</p><p>"What?" Caitlyn asks, tuning her friend back in again.</p><p>The singer is staring at the bay with a frown and against the sun it's hard to see why, until the image clears and blonde hair and a sparkle top appears.</p><p>It's easy to figure out Lola's disgust then.</p><p>"She's obsessed" The singer comments and she takes the previously ignored paddle on her hands and starts to hit the water. "C'mon, let's go back to the camp." </p><p><em>"Ugh,</em> do we have to?" Caitlyn asks with a groan, but she still picks up her own paddle and starts to hit the water too.</p><p>With two paddles it doesn't take them more than a few seconds to find the shore and Tess waiting there with an impassive expression.</p><p>Lola's quick to step out of the canoe and ditch her life jacket, dropping it on top of a wooden box by the dock. "See ya, Cat" she says, not before sending a glare at the blonde who glares directly back.</p><p>Caitlyn takes her time to step out of the canoe and tie it to the shore, taking off her life jacket and dropping it next to Lola's.</p><p>"Didn't interrupt anything, did I?" Tess comments mockingly, her eyes are unreadable and Caitlyn just shakes her head, starting to walk.</p><p>"Just a quiet afternoon with a friend," The dancer replies with a shrug and the sound of following steps makes her internally grin. "Where are the minions?" </p><p>"I'm not their babysitter, who knows" Tess replies and Caitlyn sighs, turning around and the blonde stops suddenly. "But I do know <em> something </em>else"</p><p>"And I care because?" Caitlyn asks sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest, jutting out her hip.</p><p>The singer's posture changes visibly as the air gets tense.</p><p>"You're into <em> her." </em>Tess accuses with a shaking finger.</p><p><em> "What?" </em> Caitlyn asks with a grin, feeling completely confused by the claim, she shrugs.</p><p>"Don't play this game," The blonde diva continues, stepping closer and the finger pokes at her chest. "You know what I'm referring to - <em> Mitchie </em> disappears way too often from our cabin to be doing anything else but hanging out with <em> you"  </em></p><p>And Caitlyn can't help but guffaw at the accusation.</p><p>"You're even more delusional than I thought" She replies, slapping her finger off and continuing to walk towards the forest. "But you do care a lot for someone who isn't a babysitter of her friends, if you can even call them that"</p><p>The dig is harsh, but Caitlyn can't care to look back as she stalks off through the trees and the sounds of steps following her stop.</p><p>She observes from afar as Mitchie hangs out with Shane by the side of a cabin and then resumes her walk.</p><p>Tess's words lose meaning the closer she gets to her own cabin.</p><p>
  <em> Why does she care so much? </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Hanging out with Mitchie after <em> that </em> confrontation gets a new meaning when Caitlyn can feel the heated glare of Tess onto her and the daggers the blonde sends to her new friend.</p><p>Mitchie now is part of the blonde's group, apart from sharing the cabin, she now stands back and holds the reflector for Tess to shine.</p><p>And it makes Caitlyn get mad when she listens to Mitchie softly sing while they wait for a class to start.</p><p>"I don't get why you are enabling her narcissistic self to crush your talent" She comments, playing with the string of her sweats.</p><p>"I'm not-" Mitchie replies, she has a frown, but her eyes are open, like she's surprised of being caught in a lie. </p><p>And Caitlyn knows better than to accept her deflection.</p><p><em> "Please," </em> she comments with a shake of her head "Your voice is better than hers, you write your songs - all that Tess has is that big ego of hers and her mother's shadow to sit by and judge others." </p><p>She didn't mean to snap that hard, but Mitchie is actually talented enough to shine by herself without putting down others and it's actually maddening to watch her become part of the background just to keep Tess as the star.</p><p>"You really think so?" Mitchie asks shyly, her face is emotionless and Caitlyn nods once.</p><p>"Yeah, I do" </p><p>"Thanks" The girl accepts and her eyes get shiny.</p><p>No one seems to be paying attention to their conversation and that seems to enable it more as Mitchie speaks again.</p><p>"Did something happen between you two?" </p><p>"What?" Caitlyn asks back, turning to her friend, but Mitchie just shrugs, looking particularly clueless as she wipes her tears.</p><p>"She just seems particularly harsh towards you for no reason" The new camper comments with a shrug. "There's a story behind that, right?"</p><p>"Nothing happened there," Caitlyn replies as she keeps her expression plain. "She just doesn't like me"</p><p>Her own words light up a memory from a whole summer away and it shouldn't hurt that bad, but she just clasps her hands together and closes her eyes.</p><p>"Just be careful, okay, Mitchie?" </p><p>"Okay" The girl accepts.</p><p>Shane enters the room and the girl's attention goes to him.</p><p>It's easier then to breathe out and pretend like she's not choking when so much wants to burst out of her lips.</p><p>The end of summer can't come soon enough.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The whole fiasco with the pasta ends up with Caitlyn working at the kitchen and discovering a secret that could shake the entire camp up.</p><p>But she's friends with Mitchie, even when they are at odds at the moment, keeping her secret seems like the correct thing to do.</p><p>"So, why did you do it?" She asks, peeling a potato.</p><p>"Do we really have to talk?" Mitchie mutters, keeping her eyes down. "Can't we just peel potatoes and pretend that this is an alternative universe of sorts?" </p><p>"Nope," Caitlyn replies, putting her hand under her chin as she rolls a potato to the peeled pile. "Because Connie is actually awesome and cool enough to work her summer here to make your dream come true, so I need to know why." she complies with a mocking smile.</p><p>The kitchen is mostly empty, just the two of them sitting at the table and the singer seems finally convinced to talk about it.</p><p>"Everyone has rich parents here," Mitchie replies and she rolls her eyes. "But it's true, don't make that face, even your parents! They play out over the sea! How cool is that!" </p><p>Caitlyn shakes her head, dropping her knife. "But you don't get it, do you?" </p><p>"Get what?" The new camper asks with a clueless expression.</p><p>"Most of us don't see our parents, Mitchie," Caitlyn explains with a resigned smile. "We may have the luxury of coming here and learning about music" </p><p>She tilts her head and grins crookedly.</p><p>"But having a good and caring parent like Connie is a privilege of its own" Caitlyn continues with a shrug and Mitchie just stares.</p><p>The silence gets more quiet after that, but it's not as uncomfortable as before.</p><p>"I'm sorry about it," Mitchie mutters as she picks another potato.</p><p>"It's not me you have to apologize to" Caitlyn replies resuming her duty as she peels more potatoes.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The revealing of Mitchie's secret is a whole can of worms that leaves Caitlyn with the desire to punch Tess.</p><p>Not for the first time though she shoves that desire down.</p><p>"You are a <em> terrible </em> person" </p><p>But then the bracelet situation happens and that's the point that makes her snap.</p><p>Caitlyn follows the blonde all the way back to her cabin, which just like always, seems conveniently silent and empty.</p><p>"Hey, <em> Lindsey Lohan" </em> Tess greets as she flicks the lights on and crosses her arms over her chest.</p><p>"How scared are you of Mitchie and I winning the Final Jam that you pulled that stunt?" Caitlyn asks, seething with rage as she points at her.</p><p>But Tess seems just untouchable on the top of her metaphorical hill of victory.</p><p>"Mad that you and your little girlfriend can't perform now?" </p><p>Caitlyn shakes her head. "How many times I have to tell you that there's nothing between us!" </p><p>"Like I care about that, <em> Gaytlyn" </em> Tess remarks with a mocking grin.</p><p>And that's the final breaking point of the iceberg.</p><p>"Oh but you <em> do" </em> She yells, pushing her back and Tess steps back as Caitlyn enters the cabin, closing the door behind herself. "If that weren't the case, you wouldn't be so obsessed with Mitchie - you already know she's more talented than you, but <em> this?"  </em></p><p>Caitlyn walks her back until Tess crashes into her dresser and winces.</p><p>"This is you acting exactly like you did with Lola last year"</p><p>She shakes her head and steps back, trying to get a grip of herself as memories of the summer before rush back in.</p><p>
  <em> Lola and her laughing, Tess sabotaging their presentation, then denying it, then kissing her. </em>
</p><p>"I don't know what you are talking about" The blonde replies with a dismissing laugh, but she is backed into a corner, both physically and emotionally as she moves away from the dresser and sits by her own bed, chuckling to herself.</p><p>Caitlyn looks into her eyes; Tess is scared, trapped, lonely.</p><p>
  <em>Kissing and then shoving her out of the cabin.</em>
</p><p>And Tess may be many things, but one thing she has never been is <em> sincere. </em></p><p>Not only to others, but herself.</p><p>"Just leave Mitchie alone," Caitlyn says one last time. "She doesn't have anything to do with <em> this."  </em></p><p>And the <em> this </em> is more of an <em> us </em>, but Tess looks ready to cry and last time she cried, Caitlyn did something stupid and this time one of them has to be better than that.</p><p>"Bye" She mutters into the cabin, before exiting it and directing back to her own.</p><p>It's barely afternoon, but she feels spent and not really in the mood to attend the rest of the activities of the day.</p><p>Lola doesn't ask about it.</p><p>She just brings her a mug of hot chocolate and then kisses her forehead.</p><p>Often, Caitlyn wishes she could be interested in her bunk mate and not someone so insecure that just survives by hurting others.</p><p>But people can't choose who they love, they are just able to choose how to act on it and she can just choose to keep distance from getting hurt again.</p><p>"Thanks" Caitlyn replies and maybe it will pass, not today, not tomorrow, but <em> soon. </em></p><p>If not, the summer is coming to an end anyway.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The bonfire after the Final Jam is the most bittersweet event of the whole summer.</p><p>Everyone is still high on the feeling of performing, but it's their last day at Camp Rock and people part to very different ways after it.</p><p>So Caitlyn laughs and sings along with Mitchie, Peggy and Lola, knowing damn well that their summer has come to an end.</p><p>"I liked your presentation"</p><p>Caitlyn turns away from the conversation with Peggy to find a shyly standing Tess. </p><p>She isn't wearing her usual shinning clothes, just jean shorts and a plain hoodie as the embarrassment from the presentation seems to be still weighing over her shoulders.</p><p>Not that anyone but her cares.</p><p>"Thanks," Caitlyn accepts with a nod, it's odd to be talking to Tess so freely, but not bad. "Mitchie did great, Shane was unexpected, but he was a good fit" </p><p>Tess rubs her own cheek with a grin. "Well, they have good chemistry" </p><p>And standing there without a glare, just her cute and awkward self, Caitlyn feels the sudden urge to kiss the girl, but, of course, she doesn't.</p><p>Not all bridges are meant to be crossed.</p><p>"They sure do," Caitlyn replies and she sips her soda, turning away to look over at the very couple, sitting away in a lodge, whispering among themselves.</p><p>"Caitlyn?" </p><p>"Yeah?" She acknowledges without looking away from the fire this time.</p><p>"I'm sorry about what happened last summer" </p><p>The composer turns around to find the singer staring at her, her face impassive, her hands inside her pockets, the fire making her look ethereal.</p><p>And it's everything she has been waiting to hear for a year now, but it's not enough.</p><p><em>It will never be enough</em>, she realizes with sadness.</p><p>"Yeah, me too" Caitlyn replies and she grins, because it's all she can do.</p><p>She didn't get over her this time, but maybe next summer will be better.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>maybe I'll write something about camp rock 2 as the second chapter.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>